Ill. House votes to extend prep athlete drug testing

The Illinois House unanimously passed a bill Thursday that would allow for the drug testing of state high school student athletes at any time during the season, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

This year marked the first season the Illinois High School Association conducted drug tests, but it did so only during the playoffs. The bill, which needs Senate approval, would extend the drug-testing window to include the whole season.

"You need to do that so people have no idea it's coming," state Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), the House sponsor of the bill, told the paper.

Late last year, the Tribune reported that the Illlinois High School Association had tested 264 student-athletes who competed in fall state tournaments.

Results came back negative for 258 of the 264 students. The six that tested positive were granted medical exceptions.